1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to an electrical connector and, more particularly, to an electrical connector with clamping surfaces which are shaped to engage an electrical wire and exert a clamping force through the use of a forcing member, such as a screw, which captures a conductor between the wire and another clamping surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Those skilled in the art of electrical connectors are familiar with many different types of clamping arrangements that are intended to physically attach two electrical conductors together while providing an efficient electrical connection is between components.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,099, which issued to Winkler, on Sep. 30, 1975, describes an electrical connector with movably mounted hose clamp. The connector has a cable clamp which is movably secured with respect to the connector. The cable clamp is free to pivotally move in a plane containing longitudinal axes of the cable and the terminal portion of the electrical connector, but is restrained from movement in a direction along the longitudinal axis thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,370, which issued to Moser et al. on Jun. 7, 1988, describes a cable clamp for an electrical connector. First and second clamping walls are moved into overlapping relation to deform transversely and trap between them a portion of the cable to be terminated. Cam means urge overlapping portions of the walls together into gripping engagement with the trapped cable portion and cable gripping means ensure that cable is only drawn from one direction during clamping to avoid straining the termination.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,006, which issued to Fargeaud et al. on Jun. 4, 1991, describes a cable clamp for an electrical connector. A strain relief clamp for securely engaging a multi-conductor cable between two relatively moveable pieces at a position closely adjacent the connections of the conductors to the terminals of an electrical plug, receptacle, or other wiring device is described. A first piece includes a hollow, cylindrical shell having an integrally formed, generally semi-cylindrical portion internally of the shell at one end, the wiring device is secured in the other end. A second piece is positioned inside the shell with an arcuate surface opposing an inwardly facing, curved surface of the semi-cylindrical portion of the first piece.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,892, which issued to Fritz et al. on Feb. 20, 1996, describes a method and apparatus of mounting a package housing and is ground strap. A ground strap and vibration mount assembly effectively mechanically isolates an electronic component from vibration while also providing an electrically conductive path to ground potential. The assembly includes a vibration dampener mounted through an opening formed in a tab projecting from the housing of the vibration sensitive electronic component. An insert is provided therein and a mounting bolt is positioned through a suitable opening formed through the insert. An electrically conductive ground strap is wrapped partially around the tab. An aperture is formed in one portion of the strap and the bolt is passed therethrough. Opposing ends of the electrically conductive connector are secured to the tab.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,866,844, which issued to Osterbrock et al. on Feb. 2, 1999, describes a wiring device with a ground clamping plate. The device includes a pressure plate which engages the ground plate of a receptacle with legs of a pressure plate disposed within correspondingly shaped recesses adjacent the ground plate of the receptacle, so that the pressure plate is substantially constrained from rotation relative to the ground plate so that a wire can be received between the ground plate and the pressure plate when the screw is backed out a sufficient distance.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,812, which issued to Ewer et al. on Sep. 25, 2001, describes an electrical connector contact bridge with a wire clamp. It includes a bridge strap with a base plate and an abutment member coupled to and extending from the bridge strap. The base plate extends substantially perpendicular to the bridge strap and has an internally threaded bore. An abutment member extends adjacent a side edge of the base plate, and has a planar surface extending perpendicularly to and facing the base plate. A clamping plate overlies the base plate, has a substantially straight side edge adjacent the planar surface and has a through bore. A screw extends through the bore in the clamping plate and threadedly engages the threaded bore to the base plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,743,029, which issued to Greene et al. on Jun. 1, 2004, describes a back wire ground clamp. A ground lug is coupled to a clamp plate by means of a screw which passes through a clearance opening in the clamp plate and is threaded into a receiving opening in the ground lug. The clamp plate supports a blocking tab which extends downward below the front edge of the ground lug and it extends sideways for a distance which is less than the length of the front edge of the ground lug.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,939,149, which issued to Goodsell et al. on Sep. 6, 2005, describes an electrical device with a mechanism to prevent separation of the electrical receptacle housing. The receptacle, which includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion coupled to the first housing portion is described. An electrical device is positioned between the first and second housing portions. The terminal has a base and a first protrusion and a second protrusion extending transverse to the base. The first and second protrusions are on opposite sides of the terminal. A clamp is located adjacent to the terminal and positioned between the first and second protrusions and is adapted to couple an electrical wire to the terminal. A fastening device extends through the clamp and is adapted to rotate relative to the terminal. When rotated, the clamp engages at least one of the first and second protrusions on the terminal to limit rotation of the clamp relative to the terminal, thereby preventing separation of the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,922, which issued to Kim on Nov. 14, 2006, describes a wire connecting apparatus for a magnetic contactor. It comprises a plurality of wire connector assemblies, a frame for supporting the wire connector assemblies, and a plurality of terminals connected to an external wire. The external wire can be simply connected to the terminal by just tightening or releasing a screw, thereby simplifying an entire wiring process and enhancing work efficiency.
The patents described above are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in the description of the present invention.
Typical connection terminals for large diameter electrical wires can be inefficient in electrical current transfer and can possibly damage stripped wire ends when the wire is secured using a set screw. As described above, a number of styles of existing electrical wire lugs are commercially available and well known to those skilled in the art. It would be significantly beneficial if a connector could be provided which provides secure capturing of a wire end by securing the wires between clamping surfaces to avoid possible damage from direct contact between the wire and a rotatable set screw or other fastening device. In addition, it would be beneficial if the electrical conductivity of the clamping device were improved to increase its efficiency and reducing potential high resistance connections.